New talent to make a splash at Rockpool

Article from SMH Good Living, Tuesday 28th April 2009
Short Black  – Scott Bolles.

Sydney might have brought home the bacon with Tetsuya’s, Quay and Pier all included in the world’s top 100 restaurant list announced in London last week, but there was an interesting omission, with Rockpool, once a permanent fixture on the list – excluded.

Neil Perry suspects he lost votes with the short-lived decision 18 months ago to rebrand the restaurant Rockpool (fish) and steer away from fine dining.  “Rockpool is my food, Rockpool Bar & Grill, Spice Temple are interpretations of classics.  I don’t want to be in a world where I can’t cook or eat my food”.

With Michael McEnearney, the talented Rockpool chef heading back to Europe midyear, Perry has a new charge taking over in June.  “The new guy is Phil Wood, who worked at Tets, won the Josephine Pignolet award (2007) and spent 18 months at French Laundry,” he says.